Last Wednesday, a thoughtful gentleman brought a red rose for each woman on the team. It was kind, beautiful and unexpected. I kept the rose on my desk for my entire shift. Unfortunately, I had nothing to place it in, so it was without water.
At the end of the day, the head of the rose was drooping but still soft. I carried the rose by the stem and lightly cradled its head with my hand. On my commute home, I laid the flower on the dashboard of my car. I drove with extreme care and this prevented the flower from sliding. I was glad that the petals and leaves were undisturbed.
When I arrived home, I told my mom about the kind gift. She suggested I look up methods to help the rose stand again. I found a helpful video that explained how to use hot water, granulated sugar, Aspirin, and a misting bottle. Since I didn’t have Aspirin, I skipped the sugar.
I diagonally cut the stem and placed it into the hot water. Instead of using a misting bottle, I wet my fingers with warm water and lightly rubbed it onto the leaves and petals.
The next morning, I was thrilled to find the rose fully open.
Each day, I repeated this routine. Each day, I made sure the rose took in sunlight. When the sun started to set, I moved the vase to the kitchen window. I repeated this as well.
I took pride in learning something new and being able to keep the delicate rose alive. It was an ongoing process.
Sadly, Monday night, I found my sweet little cat sitting on the dining room table. Before I could scold her, I saw that the stem was broken. The rose head was dangling and barely attached. I was disappointed.
Surprisingly, the red rose appeared healthy. My mom suggested I put it in some shallow water. I did.
Again, I cut what remained of the stem. I filled a shallow dish with warm water and placed it inside. Of course, I made sure the petals received their fair share too. I’m happy to say the rose is still hydrated and in full bloom.
I ran into a few different obstacles in caring for this rose. Although I didn’t have all the suggested ingredients to save it, I still made the effort. It was worth it.
You’ve probably navigated unexpected obstacles in your life. Most likely, you used the tools available to you and hoped for the best outcome. If you find yourself feeling lost or hopeless, please remember you’re worth every effort. Like the red rose, you can survive.
I wish you the best.